"Saucy Nuggets" Are Turning Into The Summer's Hottest Fast Food Trend, So I Tried Every Last One Available (And Have Thoughts)
Hello, BuzzFeeders, sauce lovers, and chicken nugget connoisseurs alike! I'm Dannica, and if there's one thing I love more than a chicken nugget, it's the sauce I'm 100% dunking the chicken nugget in. So when I found out that Wendy's AND KFC came out with their own versions of "saucy nuggets," I dropped everything and, with my sisters' help, tried every single flavor. (Spoiler alert: I ended up with a total of 70 nuggets.)
My hot girl summer somehow turned into a saucy girl summer.
Oh yes, it's true! At Wendy's, they're churning out "Saucy Nuggs" by taking their ever-popular chicken nuggets and tossing them in one of seven (!) sauces: honey BBQ, spicy honey BBQ, garlic parm, spicy garlic parm, buffalo, spicy buffalo, and spicy ghost pepper. Starting at $2.79 for a 4-piece, these nuggets officially launched nationwide on June 10, 2024.
The difference between the spicy saucy nuggets and the non-spicy saucy nuggets isn't the sauce but the nuggets themselves! So, technically, there aren't seven sauces — you just get to decide whether you want Wendy's spicy or regular nuggets as the base. But it's still seven different eating experiences!
After the release of Wendy's saucy nuggets, they quickly became popular on TikTok, with some videos and taste tests garnering over a million views. Considering Wendy's original and spicy nuggets are so widely enjoyed (especially the spicy ones), I wasn't surprised by the hype.
But wait! The plot thickens! In response to Wendy's new release, KFC came to the chicken nugget boxing ring and dropped their OWN saucy nuggets in three new(ish) flavors: honey BBQ, honey sriracha, and Korean BBQ. KFC first introduced their saucy nuggets in March 2024 with five flavors but decided to kick off summer with three, with the addition of the new honey BBQ flavor. KFC's saucy nuggets start at $7.49 for an 8-piece, and they were released on June 10 as well (dramaaa).
Now that I've covered the ~lore~, let's get into the taste test! Considering KFC has only three flavors compared to Wendy's seven, I'm going to rank each nugget by flavor first and then compare which nuggets are better overall. The ranking will range from 1 to 10, with 10 being "meh" and 1 being the pinnacle of saucy girl summer. Here's the rubric I'm going to be judging the nuggets by:
I had Tums at my side throughout the entirety of this taste test, BTW.
Here's what Wendy's saucy nuggets look like:
And here are KFC's:
I also got the "unsauced" nuggets.
Let's start!
(Before anyone asks, no nuggets were wasted in the making of this review.)
10.Wendy's spicy ghost pepper nuggets:
First of all, I was scared for my life trying this flavor. My spice tolerance ends at those Buldak ramen noodles, so I was almost 100% certain that I wouldn't be able to eat the spicy ghost pepper nuggets. Also, no one asked, but I was definitely pretending I was on Hot Ones (chicken nugget version).
Despite my hesitation, I ate the whole nugget and was, unsurprisingly, taken aback by the ghost pepper flavor. Don't get me wrong; I typically go for the spicy nuggets whenever I find myself at Wendy's, but the spicy nugget paired with the slap-in-your-face sauce was definitely an experience.
The ghost pepper sauce wasn't as spicy as I anticipated, but it still had a pretty intense kick. It had a smokey flavor with a touch of sweetness, and the heat built up as I kept chewing.
Honestly, there was too much going on for me to enjoy this nugget, hence its last-place ranking. However, if you're an ultimate fan of spice, the ghost pepper saucy nuggets might be your new best friend.
OVERALL SCORE: 1.5/5 🍗
TBH, these nuggets were only really sauced on the bottom. That said, they weren't really saucy — but as a result, they were still accidentally crispy! The sauce itself was OK, but like I said, I couldn't really enjoy it because it was too spicy for my taste. With that, I wouldn't order the ghost pepper nuggies again.
9.Wendy's spicy garlic parm nuggets:
If you're surprised by this flavor ranking so low, I was, too. Garlic and parmesan seem like an unstoppable combo that could never go wrong; however, something was off-putting for me when it came to the spicy garlic parm nuggets.
Off looks alone, you could tell that these nuggets were seasoned and sauced to perfection. I mean, look at that glisten! And apparently, this sauce features four types of roasted garlic (I couldn't even tell you more than one type of garlic). The seemingly flavor-packed sauce paired with the already-flavorful spicy nugget made me believe this was going to be one of my favorite flavors — but alas.
My first thought after biting into this nugget was, Wow, this is sooo buttery. But then, after a second bite, I thought, Wow, this is too buttery. In fact, I came to the conclusion that it was almost all butter (or oil?) with not much of the garlic or Parmesan flavor coming through. Not only that, but I just don't think that the spicy nugget paired well with the sauce, either; the flavors seemed to clash, and it just wasn't my favorite combo.
OVERALL SCORE: 2/5 🍗
These nuggets were a lot more sauced than the ghost pepper ones, but considering they were so buttery, it wasn't the most pleasurable experience. They left my lips feeling slippery and oily, and the nuggets lost their bite because of it. I wish I loved these nuggets more, but unfortunately, these will not be part of my saucy girl summer.
8.KFC's honey BBQ nuggets:
I was genuinely shocked by how ~thicc~ these nuggets were. Like, they were giving more boneless wings than chicken nuggets, but considering it's KFC, I'm not surprised that their nuggets are a lot bigger and meatier.
Let me start off by saying that I'm a honey BBQ STAN. No matter where I go, if there are chicken wings, I'm gonna choose honey BBQ as my sauce. Call me a child if you want, but honey BBQ is the way to go for me. Because of my unwavering loyalty, I was extremely excited to try these KFC nuggets, but like the spicy garlic parm nuggets, I found myself disappointed.
As evidenced by the photo, these nuggets weren't sauced enough. It was almost like the sauce had dried up or something because the sauce-to-chicken ratio was not equal at all. The sauce wasn't evenly distributed, and as a result, there were big patches on the nuggets that were just...naked.
Not only that, but the BBQ sauce itself wasn't my favorite. For me, there wasn't enough sweetness, and there wasn't really anything that made it special. It almost tasted like we were eating unsauced nuggets.
OVERALL SCORE: 2.8/5 🍗
Considering the size and meatiness of the nuggets, they kept a pretty exceptional crunch on them. Because of the lack of sauce, the classic (and flavorful) KFC seasoning of the chicken peeked through, which gave the nuggets some brownie points. However, the lack of sauciness plus the underwhelming honey BBQ flavor warranted a lower score from me. I would order again, but only if there were no other options.
7.Wendy's garlic parm nuggets:
When it comes to Wendy's garlic parm nuggets, I liked the regular more than the spicy version, but not by much.
The nuggets were less saucy than the spicy ones, but that didn't stop them from still being a tad too buttery for my taste. However, I thought the original nuggets paired a lot better with the garlic parm sauce, and in this case, the less sauce benefited the overall taste.
Because the original nuggets don't have as much seasoning as the spicy ones, they tasted more garlic parm-y than the spicy ones did.
OVERALL SCORE: 3/5 🍗
The nuggets were good, but due to their oiliness, I probably couldn't have more than two. There was still a nice bite to the nugget, and I appreciated the savory garlic parm sauce more, considering it didn't have to "fight" with the punchiness of the spicy nuggets. I would order these nuggets again if I were looking for something quick, savory, and cheap to eat — especially after a drunken night out.
6.Wendy's spicy honey BBQ nuggets:
Whereas KFC's honey BBQ nuggets weren't sweet enough, Wendy's BBQ sauce strikes the perfect balance between tangy and sweet.
The nuggets were coated fairly well, but the sauce was thick and flavorful enough that even if they were scarcely coated, it wouldn't have made a difference.
It tasted fine, but to me, the BBQ sauce didn't mesh the best with the spicy nuggets.
OVERALL SCORE: 3.3/5 🍗
The spicy honey BBQ nuggets weren't the best, but they weren't the worst! I loved the sauce flavor and thought that the nuggets retained their crunch just fine. I would order these nuggets again, but there were other flavors that I just preferred much more.
5.Wendy's buffalo nuggets:
Ah, the classic buffalo sauce. I don't think I've ever had bad buffalo chicken before (mediocre, yes, but not bad), and Wendy's is no exception. The sauce was zesty and tangy, and it had a slight vinegar flavor to it that worked well with the chicken nugget.
There was nothing really new or different about this flavor, and I've had nuggets with buffalo sauce countless times, so placing it in the middle of the ranking felt like the best decision.
OVERALL SCORE: 3.8/5 🍗
Buffalo is a lovely sauce, but compared to the other sauces ahead of this ranking, it's nothing but average. The nuggets could've been saucier, but they did keep their bite. All in all, though, these nuggets would DEFINITELY be re-ordered — and not as a last resort.
4.KFC's Korean BBQ nuggets:
OK, after the sauce-fail that was the KFC honey BBQ nuggets, I didn't know what to expect from the other flavors. I'd never tried Korean BBQ-flavored chicken before, so I was excited to see what it would taste like, considering I'm an avid KBBQ-goer. I assumed it was going to taste like a bulgogi marinade, but one thing for sure was that these nuggets were SAUCY. FINALLY!
The sauce paired well with the chicken nugget and was the perfect mix of sweet and savory. As I expected, it tasted like a bulgogi or galbi marinade, and I could discern hints of the slightly salty soy sauce, the sweetness from the sesame oil and sugar, and the garlic.
The sauce itself was wonderful and gave lots of umami, and I really enjoyed it! I just don't think I prefer that type of sauce with chicken. In fact, it just made me want KBBQ.
OVERALL SCORE: 4/5 🍗
These nuggets were so saucy that they deserve the title of Sauce King. Not only that, but the Korean BBQ sauce was so delish and flavorful that there's no reason why I WOULDN'T order them again. These nuggets weren't super crispy, but again, with how saucy and meaty they were, how could I blame them? These nuggets are definitely invited to the saucy summer party.
3.Wendy's spicy buffalo nuggets:
What's better than buffalo chicken nuggets? Spicy buffalo chicken nuggets. Whereas Wendy's original buffalo nuggets had nothing spectacular going on, the buffalo sauce paired with the spicy nuggets was *chef's kiss*.
The sauce was elevated by the additional seasoning blend from the spicy nuggets, which made for a more ~unique~ eating experience. Plus, dipping the spicy buffalo nugget into KFC's buffalo ranch?!?! Incredible.
OVERALL SCORE: 4.3/5 🍗
These nuggets were fairly sauced up and tasted great with the buffalo sauce! The two complimented each other well, and I ended up going in for seconds. The nuggets didn't really keep their crisp, but either way, the buffalo saucy nuggets were a smash.
2.Wendy's honey BBQ nuggets:
OK, I know it looks unappealing due to the sauce literally barely covering those nuggets, but hear me out! Those nuggets were good.
As mentioned earlier, I loved the honey BBQ sauce but didn't think it meshed well with the spicy nuggets. However, the sauce with the original crispy nuggets tasted sooo yummy and really allowed the sauce and its flavors to shine through.
These nuggets ranking as the second best among all might also just be my bias toward honey BBQ showing, but I really enjoyed this combo (and my sisters agreed). In their own words: "These are bussin'."
OVERALL SCORE: 4.5/5 🍗
I loved everything about these nuggets. Though they weren't super saucy, as I said before, the BBQ sauce is so thick and flavorful that I didn't feel like the nuggets needed to be drenched in it. The nuggets were still crispy, too, and it made for a great bite. Would 100% recommend trying!
Last but certainly not least, the overall best saucy nugget flavor among all 10 (!) was...
1.KFC's honey sriracha nuggets:
In short: WOW.
The honey sriracha saucy nuggets really surprised me simply because I've never really been a honey sriracha girly before and didn't think I would care too much for the sauce. But I mean, look at those nuggets! The glaze! The glisten! The whole chunks of chicken! (That could be a commercial jingle.)
If the KFC Korean BBQ nugget was crowned as the Sauce King, then this nugget is the Sauce Queen. The honey sriracha sauce was the definition of "sweet heat," and the two flavors balanced each other out so, SO well.
The chicken was coated beautifully in the sauce, and the little kick from the sriracha came at the end of each bite, which left me wanting more. If you're a fan of spice but don't want something so extreme (like ghost pepper), this is the perfect saucy nugget flavor!
OVERALL SCORE: 5/5 🍗
It's not saucy girl summer without these nuggets, I fear! 10s across the board.
Before I declare an official winner, let's take a deeper look at the material. Here are Wendy's and KFC's unsauced nuggets side-by-side:
I mean...the breading and size of the KFC nugget alone wins.
Here's another side-by-side:
Do I really have to announce the winner at this point?
Listen, I LOVE Wendy's chicken nuggets, so I was kind of biased coming into this chicken nugget taste test. I rarely go to KFC, so I wasn't familiar with their chicken nugget game until now, but I was pleasantly surprised! I know I shouldn't have been because chicken is quite literally KFC's specialty, but maybe deep down, I was low-key hoping Wendy's would come out on top (especially after KFC's disappointing honey BBQ).
All that said, the winner of the Saucy Nugget Showdown is... 👑 KFC! 👑
Wendy's played a good game, but KFC ultimately stole the show with their meaty nuggets, flavorful and crisp breading, and overall sauciness. To me, KFC's sauces had a lot more depth in terms of flavor, and the sauces had more cohesion taste-wise with the nuggets themselves. HOWEVER! I definitely don't think that Wendy's "Saucy Nuggs" were a flop.
Here's where I think Wendy's won over KFC:
• The sauce options: KFC has only three saucy nugget choices, whereas Wendy's has a whopping seven. Because of that, I think Wendy's saucy nuggets have more mass appeal and offer more intrigue, considering you can get a spicy counterpart of each flavor.
• The nugget count: This isn't that big of a deal, but I like that Wendy's offers a 4-piece, 6-piece, 10-piece, and 20-piece. Because if you want to try all the flavors (like me), you're not stuck with an 8-piece like at KFC.
• The price: KFC's 8-piece saucy nuggets are $7.49. Though Wendy's doesn't have an 8-piece, the 10-piece is $5.99, which is significantly cheaper and has more nuggets (though KFC's nuggets are bigger and meatier). But if you're looking for an on-a-budget meal, Wendy's is the place to be.
However, Wendy's inconsistent saucing of the nuggets, in addition to some of the sauces not tasting "right" with the chicken, is essentially what made Colonel Sanders the winner (Sorry, Wendy).
And that's a wrap on my Saucy Nugget Showdown! After this, I am most likely not going to eat another chicken nugget for a very long time. Have you tried the new saucy nuggets from KFC or Wendy's? If so, what do you think? If you haven't tried them yet, what flavor do you think you'd like the most? Let me know in the comments!
